The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s recent report on torture of suspected terrorists by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after 9/11 has renewed the debate about the efficacy and morality of torture. Shortly beforehand, the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT) highlighted allegations of torture and other abuses by the CIA as well as members of the United States military. Left unaddressed, though, is a discussion of the conditions under which government agencies view torture as an effective and acceptable response to the threat of terrorist attacks…However, there is surprisingly little evidence that governments regularly respond to terrorism with torture.

Security Debrief is a blog dedicated to homeland security, terrorism and counter-terrorism, intelligence and law enforcement that provides context to the debates, policies and politics that are playing out in Washington, D.C.